cherry

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Incase you missed it from yesterday's update:


Edit (8.05pm Vancouver time): I just finished Ubik. I turned on the radio on which was the news. There's been a big murder at a sky train station in Surrey (a town that is on the edge of Vancouver) where there's at least 6 dead and then in Richmond (another town on the edge of Vancouver - less than 15 minutes drive from where I live) a small plane has crashed into an apartment building and so far there's two dead. All this after a thunderstorm which is the edge of a giant wind storm that's hit Vancouver Island.

I feel like I've entered some weird dimension. Pass me a can of Ubik ASAP.

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I think the world in Vancouver went a little bit odd yesterday. Shortly after I retired to bed and as I was desperately trying to fall into the world of dreams (I have had immense trouble getting there recently) I heard a car crash.

I've never heard a car crash before (except for the few minor bumps I have been in myself). There was a screech followed by a delay, a bang, another delay and then a crunching sound. Suddenly I was fully awake and thinking of the delicacy of life.

Five minutes later or so the sirens came. I thought perhaps it was just a small bump, perhaps not. I should say that I am used to hearing sirens, even at 1.30am. I currently live two blocks from a fire station and just south of downtown over the bridge so it's a fairly constant sound at all times of day. This was different though because they shut off what sounded like right outside the bedroom window.

Well, the bedroom backs onto the alley and the crash definitely wasn't there. There was no chance of sleeping now, as I lay there contemplating the very meaning and essence of life and if the whole thing is perhaps futile if someone can get into a crash late at night when there are barely any cars on the road.

I got up and made some horlicks in an attempt to get sleepy. I took a chance and looked out of the living room window. The crash was half a block away at the next intersection. It isn't a main intersection (it's two blocks from the nearest main crossing). There was a lot of emergency vehicles. This was almost thirty minutes after I heard the crash. I didn't look anymore because I think it's somewhat cruel to be that interested in someone else's misfortune.

I went back to bed, hot horlicks in hand and picked up the book I am now reading (Farewell Waltz by Milan Kundera). I tried to stop thinking about the fragility of life as I dove back into the book. This morning when I think of that moment I have to chuckle to myself at the sheer pointlessness of trying to shake those kinds of thoughts while reading an author such as Kundera.

Needless to say, today is feeling rather strange as I listen to the radio and hear more details of yesterdays strange deaths. So many endings in the city late on a Friday.